In the past, development activities have focused on the third and fourth layers of information and communication services, assuming that the market would take care of the development of basic infrastructure. Manifestly, this has not happened, and African content initiatives are failing to deliver on their promise because the basic access does not exist for Africa to take advantage of those services.

The demand for better and more efficient services are the main drivers for improved network expansion and upgraded operability from old analogue systems to digital quality lines and transmission equipment. But these demands are likely to remain unserviced because complexity of strategic ICT infrastructure development remains outside the reach of the average citizen. They remain paternalistically managed by well-meaning governments with vested interests in earning high dividends from rapidly changing telecommunications markets. These issues need to be elaborated and debated within the context of public policy agenda setting.